Urban agglomerations in the structure of national and regional socio-economic space

Abstract

To discuss the problem of urban agglomerations within a wider context of national and regional development some additional theoretical constructions are necessary. As a starting point of the analysis the authors introduce the concept of a national settlement system. This concept together with its implications, assumptions and methodological questions involved as well as with advantages and difficulties of its application is described in the first part of the paper. Urban agglomerations forming at present an important and significant part of the national settlement system, represent an advanced stage in the growth of social territorial division of labour and reflect the progress of the processes of industrialization and urbanization. An analysis of those processes as they actually develop in modern conditions raises the question of adequcy of their traditional definitions. Different factors and ways of historical development are reflected in the changing structure and organization of settlement systems. Taking into account such elements as state of development, spatial concentration of population as well as social and economic activities, various forms of economic management, size structure of settlements and other similar ones, some basic types of settlement were identified and defined. In their description the importance of urban agglomerations as the leading factor in the development of the whole national settlement system is stressed. But the other forms of settlement such as the regional and/or growth poles, local urban-rural settlement complexes should not be forgotten. They form additional important elements in the spatial organization of a nation and its economy. Any change in one group and form of settlement finds its reflection in the others—all forming together one system. These interdependences lead now in numerous countries to the formation of functional urban regions. The importance of the concepts of national settlement system and of functional urban regions both for the development of geographical theory and for practice of physical planning suggest the need for their further study—both theoretical and empirical. Therefore, a programme of such studies is presented at the end.